Sautéed Brussels Sprouts and Green Beans with Mushrooms and Sun Dried Tomatoes

My wonderful husband always agrees to try new things—his appreciation for different foods has exploded over the last several years, especially for healthy dishes. This makes preparing meals so much easier for me, since we pretty much enjoy the same things. I could not, however, get Gary on-board with Brussels sprouts for the longest. I tried them every way possible, but he could not like them. In one last attempt last night, I tried a crafty tactic—I cut the sprouts much smaller, and added lots of other vegetables that Gary really loves. To my delight, he ate the sprouts with no complaints.

Now if I could just get sneaky with raw oysters. No, I think not.

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts and Green Beans with Mushrooms and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Pearl barley
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 lb. fresh green beans
4 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered lengthwise
½ teaspoon salt
1 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup chicken stock
¼ cup sun dried tomatoes, finely chopped
Parmesan or feta
Pine nuts or slivered almonds

Bring water and salt to a boil in a medium pan. Add barley. Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 50-60 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook green beans in a pot of well-salted water for about 5 minutes until crisp-tender. Drain, and set aside.

Add olive oil and red pepper flakes to a large skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, add Brussels sprouts and salt. Sauté for about 8 minutes until crisp-tender and browned. Add beans and mushrooms. Season if necessary.

Add chicken stock and cook, partially covered, for 10-15 minutes until veggies are desired tenderness. Add more liquid if necessary. When veggies are tender, and liquid has absorbed, remove from heat. Sprinkle with cheese and nuts, and drizzle lightly with olive oil, if desired. Adjust seasoning, and serve warm or cold.

Served here with seared tuna steak.

Eggplant Pesto Chicken Lasagna

One of Gary’s favorite dishes of mine is chicken and spinach pesto lasagna. I love this meal too, but you know I’m always looking for ways to cut out empty calories and add fresher, more nutritious ingredients into the foods we eat. Eggplant replaces pasta in my newest lasagna, and firm roasted red peppers add another layer of texture and flavor.

Eggplant Pesto Chicken Lasagna

2 large eggplants, cut lengthwise in ½ inch slices
Kosher salt
Olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 boxes frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups cooked chicken
Black pepper
15 oz. ricotta cheese (whole milk or part skim)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 ½ cup pesto sauce, plus 2 tablespoons
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 can good, firm roasted red peppers, blotted well
16 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 425.

Cut eggplant lengthwise into ½ inch slices. In order to remove excess moisture from eggplant, arrange two layers in the bottom of a large colander, and sprinkle lightly with salt. Repeat layering/salting process with remaining eggplant. Place a plate on top of the eggplant, and weight with a large can, exercise weights, or anything heavy. Let sit for 2 hours.

After eggplant has drained, press down to remove excess liquid. Lay eggplant on paper towels, and blot any remaining water and salt. Lay eggplant on a large baking sheet that has been brushed with olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt, and drizzle with olive oil. Roast eggplant in batches for about 10 minutes on each side until softened, turning halfway through. Set aside.

Meanwhile, brush a 13 x 9 casserole dish with olive oil.

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion for 4 minutes. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute. Add spinach and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes and seasoning with salt and pepper. Add chicken, and cook additional 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix ricotta cheese, egg, pesto and Parmesan cheese. Add chicken/spinach mixture, and stir.

Spread 2 tablespoons pesto sauce in the bottom of the casserole dish. Lay eggplant slices in a single layer. Top with 1/3 chicken/spinach/cheese mixture. Lay dried roasted red pepper slices over top, and sprinkle lightly with salt. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the mozzarella. Repeat layers, ending with chicken/spinach and mozzarella.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 35-40 minutes until hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and allow to rest for about 20 minutes before slicing.

30-Minute Green Chile Chili

I try new chili concoctions often, and I seem to gravitate toward recipes with particular ingredients: garlic, oregano, chipotle en adobo, green chiles, Mexican beer and Worcestershire sauce are among my favorites. This tangy, chunky chili tastes a little different and hits my spot quite nicely.

30-Minute Green Chile Chili

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon paprika
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chiles
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 chipotle en adobo, chopped, plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce (or more to taste)
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 (12 oz.) Mexican beer
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomoatoes
1 (15 oz.) can dark red kidney beans, drained
½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Heat olive in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, salt, chili powder, oregano, cumin, paprika and green chiles. Cook for about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and chipotle pepper; cook for 1 minute. Add ground beef, and cook until no longer pink. Pour in beer, and cook until reduced by half—8-10 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans and Worcestershire sauce. Cook, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Chicken Barley Soup

I love pasta, but I only eat it occasionally. I don't like what it does to my waistline if I eat it too often, and I don't like the fact that it's processed and refined. I enjoyed pasta in my soups for years though, so I've recently been on the lookout for healthy substitutes. Barley is a great option for soup--it's hearty, filling, and tasty, and my waistline doesn't pay the price. I'm also keeping barley in mind as a substitute for rice in my favorite dishes, since barley is higher in fiber and essential nutrients. When pasta isn't quite right, barley is better.

Chicken Barley Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ cup carrots, sliced
1 ½ cup celery, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 ½ quarts chicken stock or water
10 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup barley
4 cups cooked chicken
2 – 2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt (more if using water instead of stock)
¼ teaspoon pepper
5 cups fresh spinach

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery and onion. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Cook for about 8 minutes. Add stock, thyme, bay leaf, mushrooms, barley, chicken, salt and pepper. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour until barley is tender. Add spinach and cook just until wilted, about 1 minute. Remove thyme stems. Adjust seasoning, and serve.

Ode to a Grilled Cheese

A grilled cheese is a grilled cheese is a grilled cheese. Well, not necessarily. Last night I took an opportunity to make it a little bit more. I used fresh spinach, along with pesto sauce and roasted red peppers. It sounded like the perfect sandwich verse.

And a grilled cheese by any other name would taste as delicious.

Pesto Grilled Cheese with Spinach and Roasted Red Peppers

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whole grain sandwich bread
Pesto sauce
Cheddar cheese slices
Roasted red pepper slices, blotted dry
Kosher salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
Fresh spinach
Swiss cheese slices
2 tablespoons olive oil

For each sandwich, spread pesto sauce on one slice of bread. Add cheddar cheese. Top with roasted red pepper slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with fresh spinach and a slice of Swiss cheese. Spread second bread slice with pesto and place on top of Swiss cheese.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sandwiches, and cook until golden brown. Gently flip sandwiches to brown other side. Add more olive oil as necessary. Transfer to oven and cook for 5-7 minutes.

Note: Use any cheese/cheese blend you like. I had cheddar and Swiss on hand for my sandwiches.

Sue's Italian Pasta Sauce

I remember when I started making homemade spaghetti sauce—about 20 years ago. I used a recipe from my Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook that incorporated brown sugar, oregano, and bay leaf, in addition to the usual suspects, tomato sauce and tomato paste. The sauce simmered for 30 minutes. It was good.

Then, about 10 years ago, I found another recipe quite different from my usual—it was a quick, simple one with red pepper flakes, lots of garlic, and really good whole tomatoes. I remember tasting that sauce for the first time, savoring the simplicity, the spiciness, and the bold, rich flavor. It cooked a little over 10 minutes. It was delicious.



This is my version of the recipe that changed my way of spaghetti sauce thinking. Serve with your favorite pasta.

Sue's Italian Pasta Sauce

¼ cup olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
½ of a medium onion, sliced thinly
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 large cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 (35 oz.) can good Italian tomatoes, crushed
Fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Parmesan cheese

Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add beef, onion, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and sauté for 5 minutes. Add red pepper flakes, garlic, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Cook for 1 minute. Turn heat to high, and add tomatoes. Cook for 5-8 minutes until tomatoes begin to thicken. Remove from heat. Add pasta of your choice (reserving some extra pasta water, if desired, in case pasta becomes dry as it sits), and toss. Garnish with parsley and cheese.